Higher-Order Aberrations

Many people are familiar with the common eye conditions nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. However, most people don't know what higher-order vision aberrations are, despite the fact that they affect the majority of people. An aberration refers to something that deviates from the norm. Lower- and higher-order aberrations distort vision in various ways. Lower-order aberrations such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism produce blurry vision at near, far, or both distances; higher-order aberrations result in more unique vision problems in patients.

Higher-Order Aberration Symptoms

Almost all people are affected by some degree of higher-order aberrations. The symptoms of higher-order aberrations include:

• Blurry vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Double vision
• Ghost images
• Glare
• Halos
• Starburst effect

Higher-Order Aberration Diagnosis

Higher-order aberrations cannot be diagnosed with traditional eye exams. Your eye doctor must use a wavefront-measuring device to detect and record each patient's unique higher-order aberrations such as comas, trefoils, quadrafoils, and spherical aberrations.

Higher-Order Aberration Treatments

Vision aids such as glasses and contact lenses can treat lower- and higher-order aberrations. If you are seeking a more permanent form of treatment, you can undergo a custom laser vision correction procedure such as LASIK. During custom LASIK treatment, your surgeon will take a wavefront map of the eye; this map then guides the laser in reshaping your cornea to correct lower- and higher-order aberrations. Within a few hours of treatment, patients have significantly improved vision, and most no longer have to use glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.

Contact an Eye Doctor

If you are interested in undergoing laser eye surgery, contact an eye doctor in your area to schedule a consultation. A qualified ophthalmologist can determine if you are a good candidate for treatment, and explain the benefits and risks of treatment with you.

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